10 Big Things: LSU Spring Game

The LSU Spring Game took place on Saturday in Tiger Stadium, and with the Tigers short on available players, the format was shuffled up.

LSU began with a stretching period followed by special teams and scripted red-zone work.

Then, second-year head coach Brian Kelly put the offense up against the defense in a scrimmage that rotated the first-team, second-team and third-team units throughout hour-plus finish to the spring.

The offense and defense wrapped up in a 32-32 tie. Here are 10 takeaways from Tiger Stadium as LSU wrapped up spring practices in Baton Rouge.

10 Big Things: LSU Spring Game

*** Wide receiver Kyren Lacy suffered a number of drops during his first season at LSU in 2022. This offseason, chatter around the program has been that Lacy took a major step forward. And he proved it immediately in the Spring Game, hauling in an impressive one-handed grab before somehow turning it into a 70-yard touchdown. Lacy finished the day by leading the offense with four caches on five targets for 92 yards and a touchdown. Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. both had solid Spring Game showings, and with Lacy emerging, the top three receivers on roster are becoming more clear.

*** Simply put, Jayden Daniels looked great. He’s bulked up his frame, he pushed the ball down the field and he finished 10-for-11 passing for 168 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers. Toss in what Daniels can do with his legs, and there’s a reason LSU’s starting quarterback is being touted as the SEC’s top quarterback entering the 2023 season.

*** Guess who else looked sharp? Garrett Nussmeier. LSU fans got a glimpse of what Nussmeier can do in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia and bowl game against Purdue. He turned in a solid spring, and even while working with the second-team in spots during Saturday’s LSU Spring Game, he finished the day 5-for-8 passing for 139 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers. With Nussmeier deciding not to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, it can be argued the Tigers have the best 1-2 punch at quarterback in the SEC.

*** The running back room is still a work in progress, but we knew that long before the game on Saturday. Veteran Noah Cain and newcomer Trey Holly were the lone two scholarship running backs available this spring. Armoni Goodwin and Josh Williams were both sidelined with injuries, but both were on the sidelines Saturday and neither entered the portal. That’s four running backs, and LSU still has Kaleb Jackson arriving this summer. And don’t forget about senior John Emery, who took time away from the team this spring to focus on academics. Brian Kelly said Emery has “a path back” that is “dictated by what he does academically”.

“We love him,” Kelly said after the LSU Spring Game. “But we are putting academics first and foremost.”

Point being, fall camp and the first month of the season will tell us more about what the pecking order is at running back.

*** Kudos to the offensive line. Somehow, the Tigers made it through spring with just enough scholarship players available to fill out the first-team unit. Charles Turner, who started at center for the Tigers in 2022, wasn’t available this spring because of injury. Marlon Martinez worked as the first-team center, while returning starters Will Campbell and Emery Jones worked at tackle. Toss in Miles Frazier and Garrett Dellinger, and LSU’s got a handful of returning starters back. Fortunately, all four high school signees arrive this summer, including five-star Zalance Heard. LSU also gets Maryland transfer offensive lineman Mason Lunsford to campus in June. All signs point to the unit being a strength of the team this season.

*** The JACK position will be a key debate when fall camp arrives. Kelly said the Tigers were fortunate to add a veteran in Texas transfer Ovie Oghoufo, and Oregon transfer Bradyn Swinson and high school signee Jaxon Howard both flashed in spots during the LSU Spring Game. That’s three players who can get reps this fall, but where does five-star signee Dashawn Womack end up? He was recruited to play the JACK position, but at 6-foot-5, 270 pounds, is he more of a defensive end? Time will tell, but the debate is far from settled as to how the JACK position shuffles out.

*** The transfers stole the headlines at cornerback this offseason, but it was the lone returning cornerback in Laterrance Welch who led the way in pass breakups during the LSU Spring Game. Denver Harris, Zy Alexander, JK Johnson and Duce Chestnut are all transfers that will battle for starting spots and playing time, but let’s not count out Welch as he enters his second year in the program. When healthy, he’s a solid cornerback option for the Tigers.

*** Harold Perkins is still a star. LSU defensive coordinator Matt House worked Perkins out at middle linebacker during the spring, which was largely to teach him the position after using him as an edge rusher in Year 1. On Saturday, Perkins looked like his normal self, and while the linebackers rotated plenty, he was in on a sack and didn’t look out of place in the middle of the defense. Year 2 should be a huge one for Perkins.

*** Oregon State transfer Omar Speights will be one of the most important portal additions. That’s my opinion, at least. Speights had three solo tackles in the LSU Spring Game, but more importantly, he was healthy all of March and April and able to get in 15 practices with the team. That went a long way to getting him settled into the LSU defense and what’s expected, and he will be one of the starters at linebacker this fall. He’s a veteran who can instantly patch up a linebacker room that needed more depth.

*** The kicker position is far from settled. Damian Ramos won the job in Kelly’s first season, but he’s now in a tight battle with Nathan Dibert. Both missed on field goal attempts beyond 40 yards in the LSU Spring Game, then Ramos connected on a 34-yard field goal to tie the game as the clock hit zero. When Kelly spoke after the game, he said the battle continues and it’s far too early to name a starter.